On Assignment's Imran Siddiqui and Alex Villarreal head to the Library of Congress for a history lesson from Dr. James Hutson, chief of the Library's Manuscript Division. Hutson explains the significance of the Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, and the role of Thomas Jefferson in drafting it. But although everyone talks about July 4, did you know it's actually July 2 that the founding fathers expected Americans to celebrate?

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages just as it does for heterosexuals. The ruling has special significance for thousands of gay Americans married to foreign nationals or who plan to do so. VOA's Michael Bowman introduces us to one of many bi-national gay couples that will now be treated equally under U.S. immigration laws

Despite writing in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal," Thomas Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves during his lifetime. VOA's Julie Taboh explores this moral contradiction exhibited by Jefferson as he participated in the system he opposed in theory

A new VOA documentary, Fire in the Land of Snow, explores the rise of self-immolations by Tibetans. Combining smuggled videos, firsthand accounts and interviews with experts, scholars and officials, the film provides an in-depth look at the root causes of this tragic form of protest. VOA Tibetan Service Chief Losang Gyatso and producer Susan Jackson tell On Assignment's Alex Villarreal what making the film taught them and what they hope others will take away from it. Note: video in this segment might be disturbing to some viewers.

Watch VOAVideo: Fire in the Land of Snow a Documentary on Self-Immolations in Tibet (Full Version)An hour-long documentary that explores the causes behind the 118 self-immolations known to have taken place in Tibet since 2009. Combining smuggled videos, first-hand accounts and interviews with experts, scholars, and officials, this film provides an in-depth and comprehensive look at the recent history of Tibet and the powerful forces that lie at the heart of one of the largest waves of political self-immolations in history. (trailer)